Phuket Has a New Elephant Sanctuary

Elephant riding used to be an integral part of the traveler experience in Phuket, Thailand, but that’s changing, says Lonely Planet, which is showcasing a new elephant sanctuary in Phuket. 

“Opened in 2016, it has been conceived as a refuge for elephants rescued from the tourist and logging industries, and no riding is allowed. It’s the first of its kind on the island,” writes Dora Whitaker.

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary gives refuge to elephants that are, essentially, out of work. 

“Before we opened, there was nowhere on the island for old, sick, injured, tired or overworked elephants to go, no retirement home. They were worked until they died,’ co-founder Louise Rogerson said in an interview with CNN.

READ MORE: Thailand Elephant Tours: A Cautionary Tale 

The park also helps travelers understands the complications and negative impacts of elephant riding. 

Visitors to the park begin their tour by watching a video that explains how the wild animals are first trained or ‘crushed’ into domesticity so they can accept riders; a process that can involve being being tied up with ropes, beaten with a stick or bullhook, and starved. Visitors can then join the animals as they bathe and walk in the grounds and play.

For more on visiting this new sanctuary, read on here.